2012-05-12

Panormou Gefseis (Ambelokipi restaurant)

I continue with my presentation of some hand-picked (or rather mouth-picked!) restaurants and food joints at the Ambelokipoi neighbourhood of Athens. This one, Panormou Gefseis, is a restaurant serving traditional Greek food as well as typical grill fare (gyros, souvlaki, etc.). Its name stands for Tastes of Panormou, Panormou being the arterial street where it's located.

Prices: A light lunch for two usually costs around 20Euros. Check out these two examples:

Order 1 (21.80€):

1
chicken-soup,

1 veal with
cooked vegetables in the oven (peppers, chick-peas and tomato sauce)

1 feta
cheese, 1 Coke, 2 bread

Order 2 (18.00€):

1 briam
(mixed vegetables)

1 fried
codfish

1 feta
cheese, 2 bread

Presentation / Ambience: A simple, clean, neighborhood-type restaurant, expanded and refurbished in 2009, with traditional Greek food which also acts as a grill, making souvlaki and gyros (but that’s not your reason for coming here). Like most joints in this area it mainly caters to employees of nearby offices and neighborhood regulars of all ages, including college students. The food is presented in pans, behind a glass window. You take a look at what’s available, ask the person behind the glass to explain to you and you sit on a table; the waiter comes and you give your order. Or you may just sit down and the waiter will let you know what's currently available. About 15 tables available, most of them with a view towards the street and the square. It's worth noting that the indoor hall is not at all cramped like your average Greek restaurant. There's also a number of tables across the street, but the square is not that clean, so I recommend you stay indoors.Wife thinks there's not much character here but I tend to disagree. I like the constant motion of people coming in and out and the easy-going atmosphere. Of course, as I said above, it's a simple neighborhood type restaurant. Don't expect fancy decor or any type of luxury or elegance. [Update: A recent change in decor, with wooden, bench-type tables, in June 2014, but same owners / kitchen]

Food / Drinks: About 10-15 different dishes each day, all traditional Greek fare: Soups, veal, pork or chicken casserole, stuffed eggplants, vegetable dishes such as spanakorizo, meat patties with oven-baked potatoes, moussaka, pastichio, oven-cooked fish, etc. are some of the dishes you may find. I've also enjoyed very much a pork chop cooked in wine (hirini krasati). The oven-cooked potatoes, which can accompany most meat dishes and are served in olive oil sauce, are among the best I've come across. Overall dishes are simple but well-cooked (a few are a bit heavy on the spice) and the portions are medium to very large. A very good (and rare) chance to experience Greek, “home-made” / family food in decent surroundings.

Service: Helpful and very fast. Never had a problem here.

Location / Getting there: 2 minutes from the Ampelokipoi
Metro Station. You walk towards Panormou St. and turn left (on Panormou). On
your right hand side, after a couple of blocks, you will see Agiou Dimitriou
Square, with a church on it. Panormou Gefseis (Tastes of Panormou) is on
your right hand side, at the corner facing the square. It also has tables on
the square, mainly for the summer.

2 comments:

As a Greek-American raised with this kind of food, I think I have a pretty good handle on what authentic means, and this is the real thing. It reminds me of the places we frequented in Athens on visits during my childhood. On our last trip in 2009, we found it by asking one of the locals (in my best broken Greek) where he eats. This is where he sent us, and I'm glad he did. Most of the places I recalled from my youth were long gone, but this more than served the purpose of recreating days gone by and a few new pleasant memories. Highly recommended.

About this blog

Living in Athens, Greece for the past 15 years has been a process of constant discovery for me. Through this blog I'm sharing some of my photography, walks, food tips and ideas about how to spend your time in this vibrant city full of sights and sounds. Travelers coming to Athens will find an ever-growing list of topics on life in Athens and Greece and hopefully get some ideas about their trip here.

When in a good mood I like to walk around town, then make up for the lost calories and finally write about the whole thing! When in a... less good mood I offer my opinion on the latest events in Greece or simply keep my mouth shut and abstain from posting. No matter what the mood, I like to help travelers and share my first-hand experiences and knowledge of Athens!